Chapter 25
DORIAN
I'd hosted dozens of signings in my mother's store and never once been nervous, which made the sweat working down my spine that evening an unusual experience.
The place was packed to the shelves. Seraphina drew a crowd, always had, since the days my mom had first invited her to Ink & Anchor for a signing.
This afternoon, the line ran past Poetry and curled into Fiction.
Seraphina sat at a table signing hardcovers, smiling, asking people to spell their names for her, thanking them for coming.
I stood aside, restocking her table with books when needed.
Nothing unusual. Except for my speeding pulse and sweaty palms and the diamond ring I’d placed around Poe’s collar that I planned to present to Delphine.
He was currently in the carrier in my office, supremely disgruntled by the poor treatment, but full from the copious treats it took to get him into the carrier in the first place.
Finally, when the last of the customers had their signed book, I put the closed for a private event sign up on the window.
I pulled down the shades for privacy. I’d planned my marriage proposal for the store, with a party afterward.
I’d wanted a way to surprise Delphine, and she would never suspect it to come after Seraphina’s signing.
She had no idea what was coming. At least, I didn’t think so.
Her best friends and their husbands were in attendance, as were the nine kids between them, plus two babies. Lucky and Trevor had to stay home. Poe would not have enjoyed their company.
“What’s going on?” Delphine asked. “Why the sign?”
“We’re having a party,” Annie said, bouncing on her toes.
Tyler appeared with the cat carrier. Poe meowed loudly before Tyler unlatched the cloth door and Poe shot out like he'd been launched from a cannon.
He ran straight to Delphine, winding around her ankles, butting his orange head against her shins, demanding to be picked up.
“Poe, what are you doing here?” She bent and scooped him up, murmuring something to him before looking at me. “Why is he here?”
“He has an important job,” I said. “So he had to endure the carrier.”
“What job is that?” Delphine asked.
It was then that the diamond ring tied around Poe’s collar caught the light. Delphine gasped. Annie took hold of Poe, slipping off his collar and handing me the ring. I dropped to one knee. Everyone else gathered close.
“Delphine, Poe chose you from the first time he ever met you and, I have to admit, so did I.”
Delphine had her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed and a little pale. For once, I was ahead of this woman.
I held the ring between my thumb and index finger. “Will you marry me?” Poe jumped from Annie’s arms to return to Delphine’s ankle, trying to steal the spotlight as usual.
“Yes, I will marry you.” Delphine’s eyes were glassy as I slipped the ring on her finger.
Everyone cheered, even baby Leo, clapping his chubby hands.
I rose to my feet and grabbed Delphine in for a kiss. “Thank God you said yes. That would have been embarrassing.”
“You know I would say yes.” She smiled up at me.
“Annie and I were pretty sure, as was Poe,” Dorian said.
Delphine looked at Annie. “You were in on this too?”
“Obviously, Mom. Poe’s participation was my idea,” Annie said, grinning. “We weren’t sure Poe would cooperate, but he did good.”
Everyone moved in for hugs and congratulations. I noticed the kids were all clumped together, looking very pleased with themselves, and I overheard Robbie say, “Our work here is done.”
“The party’s moving to our house,” Seraphina said. “We’ve had it catered. Just so everyone knows that I didn’t try to cook and risk poisoning you all.”
“I chose the wine,” Vance said. “So no need to worry about that either.”
Everyone laughed and began to gather their things. After everyone was gone but Delphine, Annie and me, we coaxed Poe back into his carrier with yet more treats. He’d be an even fatter cat if we kept this up. Annie hoisted the carrier up, met with a loud yowl from Poe.
“Shush, Poe, you’re fine,” Annie said, turning to walk toward the door.
Delphine lingered behind, taking my hands. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Never more sure of anything in my life.”
We locked gazes, and the promise was in her eyes, as I’m sure it was in mine. This was it. We had found each other at long last.
“Guys, come on. The party’s waiting,” Annie called from the back door, holding the carrier. “And Poe’s getting impatient.”
To prove her point, he let out another long yowl.
So long in fact that I was surprised it didn’t collapse his lungs.
Regardless, I took Delphine’s hand and we all walked out the back door to the car together.
And I thought, yes, this is it. This is my family.
One spoiled cat, one amazing teen, and the most exceptional woman I’d ever known.
Joy flooded through me, causing me to stagger slightly.
Delphine looked up at me. “You good?”
“Better than good.”
We shared a smile while Annie put Poe’s carrier in the car. Then, I set out with my family to celebrate with our friends who had cheered us on, wiped our tears, and given advice. And to the kids who had set the whole thing in motion.
By the time we arrived with Poe in his carrier, the party had already started.
Gillian had had a huge banner made that said: Congratulations Dorian and Delphine.
Food and drinks galore were spread out on the big island, with the French doors wide open to the patio.
A summer playlist came through the speakers.
Trevor, Esme and Grady’s sweet yellow Lab, was asleep under the shade of a chair. Lucky, on the other hand, was out and about, his puppy energy taking him from smell to smell, tail wagging and occasionally barking enthusiastically.
Poe was having none of it.
We unzipped his carrier, but he refused to come out, turning around so his butt was the only thing showing.
“He’ll be fine,” Delphine said.
“You don’t have to convince me,” I said, chuckling.
Soon, we had glasses of champagne or sparkling cider in our hands. Vance made the toast.
“I’ve known Dorian since we were kids. We’ve both gone through some stuff since we were tossing a frisbee back and forth on the beach.
I’d like to think all of it made us better men.
I know there is no better one than Dorian Flynn.
Delphine, to say we’re happy for you doesn’t even come close.
May your love grow stronger as the years pass.
Here’s to all of us growing old together. ”
Glasses clinked as everyone congratulated us again.
Annie raised her glass of cider. “I’d like to make a toast too.”
Everyone quieted.
“First, Dorian, thank you for loving my mom as much as I do. I knew you were the one for her. And for me too. Now I’ll have a dad just like everyone else here.
The five of us kids set out to find the perfect partner for our mothers, even though we knew we could get in big trouble.
Although we’re not directly responsible for all of the marriages in this group, we’ve decided that our interference was a disrupter enough to set everything in motion.
Robbie can mathematically prove that to be true, if anyone’s interested. ”
“No one is,” Grace said cheerfully.
“You’re all welcome,” Robbie said.
Everyone laughed, which seemed to perplex Robbie as he clearly hadn’t thought what he said was funny.
“Here, here,” Grady said, holding up his class. “To Robbie’s equations and compatibility tests.”
More clinking of glasses.
After the toasts, the party loosened into itself. The kids put on their swimsuits to jump in the pool. Adults gathered in clumps in various spots on the patio, talking and laughing.
I stepped to the edge of the patio, just for a minute.
The air had already turned into that quick coastal cool that arrives the moment the sun lets go of the day.
Below me the water held the last of the light, bright orange bleeding to pewter.
Waiting fog was a low gray line offshore, ready for its cue.
Thoughts of my mother drifted in with the sea air.
I wished she was here, witnessing my transformation from loner to family man.
She would have been pleased by it all. However, there was one thing she would have wanted.
Something I hadn’t yet broached with Delphine.
Maureen Flynn would want us to live in our family’s house.
I could hear her voice, saying how it was a house meant for a family.
“It’s been in our family for three generations, you know. ”
Then it hit me hard. I wanted a baby. Another child to welcome into my family’s home, raising them alongside Annie.
Delphine found me. She came and stood next to me at the rail, her shoulder against my arm, the ring catching the last of the light.
“Hey there,” she said.
“Hey there.”
She followed my eyes out to the water.
“I was thinking about my mom,” I said. “And I have an ask.”
“Anything.”
“Would you be open to moving into the farmhouse? We could rent your cottage or sell it, whichever you prefer. And before you ask, yes, I’ll build you a new potter’s shed.”
Delphine laughed softly. “I think it’s a great idea. My house could give a great rental income and it’s too small for the three of us.”
“It will, yes.” I hesitated. Should I bring up my desire for a baby?
She narrowed her eyes. “What is it? You have something else on your mind.”
“I do. I’d like to have a baby.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment, placing her hands on the railings. “I’m thirty-seven. If we want one, we’re going to have to get started trying right away.”
“Do you want one? Are you willing to do it all over again?”
She looked up and into my eyes. “Annie’s been the best thing in my life since the moment she was born. Would I welcome another child—one with you? It’s a hard yes. The hardest yes that’s ever been.”
I swept her into my arms, kissing her. “Thank you,” I said against her mouth.
“I’ve been thinking about it too. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel.”
“I want to adopt Annie too. If she wants that,” I said.
“She’s already asked about it,” Delphine said. “She wants it very much.”
“What about your peonies?”
“They’ll stay. They’ve earned their place there.”
“We can plant some at our house,” I said. “Along with our daffodils.”
“Our house. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”
“Let’s not wait to get married,” I said. “Let’s do it sooner than later. Unless you want a big wedding?”
“I don’t want anything elaborate. But I would like to have a small gathering, with all the people here tonight. I think we can throw something together pretty easily.”
“Let’s do it.” I kissed her again.
“I didn’t think it was possible to feel this happy,” she said.
“Me either.”
Behind us the party went on, boisterous and warm, full of people who loved us.
I thought about Luci, looking out at a different stretch of this same ocean and telling me somebody had to stay sad.
I hoped someday she could think of her father without just sadness, remembering the good times they’d had and how much he’d loved her.
As I’d discovered the last few months, opposite things could be true at the same time.
I could miss Nate with everything I had.
And I would, always. But I could also stand here on this patio so filled with joy I could hardly hold it.
My grief didn’t cancel the happiness. The happiness didn’t betray the grief.
They just lived in me, together, the same way daffodils and peonies would share the same ground in my mother’s garden.
Thank you so much for reading Second Edition and spending time with the families of The Parent App series.